Marcus attempted to calm her down, which took too long. I’d had enough. I came up behind Cassia and took her by the elbow, pulling her toward the door. “Get your hands off of me, whore.”
As she turned on me, I released her quickly and readied my stance to defend against an attack. But Marcus’s words quickly delivered the blow needed to deflate her lackluster charm. “Get out, Cassia. I don’t want you here if this is the way you’re going to treat people. I see now that nothing’s changed with your temperament.”
Her facial expressions were like night and day. The mask of evil had been replaced with a faux lovey-dovey intent. Her face burst into the biggest fake smile I’d ever witnessed, and her hand flew to her chest. “Oh, sweetiekins, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to treat your guest this way. I promise I’ll do better.” She walked over to where she’d thrown her purse and paperwork and put things in order.
I looked over to Marcus and raised an eyebrow, before mouthing, “Really?”
He just shook his head as she came back and laid several stacks of paper on the nearest table, handed him a pen, and asked him to sign at the areas marked. I stepped forward and grabbed the documents off the table. “Don’t sign anything before we’ve had a chance to look over it and discuss things.” I don’t know why, but something seemed fishy to me, and I’m not just talking about the perfume she seemed to have doused herself in. Could she not smell how much she reeked? It was all I could do not to cough. Had she never heard the expression A little dab will do you or A little goes a long way?
Marcus dropped the pen on the table and took in a relieved breath. My guess was that he was only signing to shut her up. I noticed his face suddenly looked startled, and I quickly realized why. Cassia had reared her hand at me, ready to slap, but not before I dropped the papers, took her hand, and went under and around her, forcing her arm to the middle of her back.
“Get off of me, you fucking bitch.” She screamed, but I proceeded to push her toward the door while grabbing her purse and slinging it onto my shoulder.
“Your visit is officially over.” I insisted.
“The hell it is.” Cassia exclaimed as she struggled and tried to get loose. “Only myself and the hired help are supposed to be here, not you.”
I grabbed hold of her other arm, forcing it back behind her to gain control over her body and ensure she couldn’t hurt herself or anyone else. I leaned forward, pressed my mouth close to her ear, and whispered, “I am the hired help. The Lombardi family has hired me to be Marcus’s bodyguard.”
Cassia dug in her heels, turned her head toward Marcus, and yelled, “Fire her, now!”
The warmest smile caressed his face as he shook his head. “Not a chance. Bye, Cassia. I’ll look over the papers and decide what I’ll do later. Should I decide to sign, I’ll have them couriered over. There’s no reason for you to come back here. If you’d like to arrange a visit, you can call and Makenna will pencil you in when time permits. Otherwise, our business can be conducted via a messenger.”
Cassia stiffened in my arms, but I had enough pent-up, vibrating energy coursing through me that I managed to push her forward. I looked toward the front door where Spencer and Kyle were still present. Spencer, with a mile-wide smile on his face, held the door open.
“Boys, would one of you be so kind as to summon the elevator?”
Kyle darted into the hallway, not even questioning my request. By the time I had pushed our uninvited guest outside the penthouse and down the corridor, the elevator was waiting.
I tried to let Cassia walk into the elevator on her own accord, but the moment I released her hands, she turned toward Marcus’s place and started to bolt. I quickly grabbed her left arm and barely avoided a slap to the face from the other. The time for playing nice was over. I pulled her left arm behind her back again, causing her to wince in pain. I knew the threshold I was pushing was about ready to pop her shoulder out of joint, but if she wanted to extend her claws, I was ready to show mine. I took her hair in my other hand and proceeded to pull it until we were at the doors of the elevator.
“I’m not leaving. This is a personal assault. I’ll sue you for manhandling me.” She looked pointedly at Kyle and down the hall at Spencer, who was back at his post in front of Marcus’s door. “You both are witness to this brutality.”
Great. One day on the job and I was most likely going to be reassigned for not keeping my cool under pressure. To my surprise, each just shook his head, before Kyle spoke up, “Lady, I don’t know what you are talking about. This floor has been quiet all day. We haven’t experienced a lick of trouble since Makenna arrived.”
She struggled in my arms as I pushed her into the elevator. Kyle reached in to push the button for the lobby. I thanked him before adding, “I’m going to ride down to make sure she leaves without a scene.”
The doors closed, so I loosened my hold on her, only slightly. I couldn’t trust she wouldn’t headbutt me. She was a loose cannon, and I suspected had never been told no in her life.
“You’ll regret you ever touched me, Makenna. I’ll make damn sure you get your comeuppance.” She warned.
I dug my fingers into her hair and turned her face toward me. “Go ahead, tell anyone you want. I’ve been hired to do a job, and I plan on ensuring Marcus’s safety. You want to see him, you’ll have to go through me.”
“I got you to run once before, and I can do it again, bitch. He’s my property. I own his ass.” Now that felt like a verbal slap to the face. That conceited, controlling bitch!
My mind instantly flashed to that day about five years ago. I was heading for my interview in the business building and had just opened the door, when I saw Marcus come out shaking a businessman’s hand. The guy said, “Welcome to Walters, Hamilton, Andrews, and Thompson Financial Securities. Our finance company is growing by leaps and bounds; it’s W.H.A.T. everyone is talking about. We’ll have your new-hire paperwork and welcome information ready within the hour.”
I remember feeling outraged the sole position that was available at the company, the one I was arriving early for to get ready for the interview, the one Marcus had helped me research and run through sample questions they might ask during the meeting, was now his. But that wasn’t the worst thing I’d seen that day. That was Cassia, jumping up and down for joy. “I can’t wait to get you to New York City. We’ll have tons of fun together, handsome.” She brought her hands up around his neck and pulled him into a huge kiss, causing me to turn away and never look back.
I shook my head to dispel the image that was permanently burned into my mind. Okay, now I’m wondering if what I saw all those years ago was her manipulating the situation . . . or did he truly turn on me? Does it matter? My subconscious was right. Too much time had passed, even if . . .
I originally admired Cassia, with the exception of her constant put-downs. Plus, she tried to take what was mine, mainly Marcus. Heck, she had perfect looks, perfect lineage, came from wealth, and could do whatever she wanted with little to no interference from her family. She might look the part of a prima donna, all blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect, petite figure with tits and ass to boot, but she played like a cat backed into a corner, with claws coming out in all directions.
I knew her words were meant to hurt me, but my military training kicked in, helping me realize she was just trying to get to me, psyche me out. She failed miserably. I found a confidence I hadn’t felt in a long time and responded with just as much sarcasm and wit as she was dishing out. “Until I see a deed of ownership or a marriage certificate, he’s a free man, capable of making his own decisions, Cassia.”
The lobby was coming up soon, so I got in her face with my next statement. “You only won a battle with scaring me off once. But you’ll never win the war. I’ve been on the other side of hell and have killed to protect the ones I’m guarding. Be a good girl and wise up before you get caught in the crosshairs of something you can’t handle or buy your way out of. You’ve now climbed to the top of the list
of suspects trying to frame Marcus for wrongdoing. I’ll be all over you like white on rice, darlin’.”
To my surprise, Cassia was silent, her skin a pasty white and her eyes wide with fear. The only sounds around us were her audible swallow and the noise of the elevator itself.
The doors opened and I marched her across the lobby. I wasn’t surprised when the doorman quickly came to Cassia’s side. “Are you hurt, Miss Hamilton? Would you like me to call the cops and have this woman arrested?” His voice was pompous and laced with hostility.
She was about to speak, when the manager of the building came out to address the doorman. “Simon, Mr. Lombardi called down to inform me that Miss Hamilton is hereby banned from the building unless we’ve been given notice by him personally, regarding an appointment. Please see that she leaves the premises at once, or we’ve been asked to call the police and have her arrested for trespassing.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Martin, sir.” The doorman, Simon, responded with a voice that told me he’d definitely sucked up to his boss and had probably kissed plenty of ass through the years. His eyes narrowed at me as I handed Cassia and her purse over to him.
I stuck my hand out to the manager. “Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Martin. My name is Makenna Bradford. I’ll be staying in Mr. Lombardi’s place in the upcoming weeks. I’ve been hired on behalf of his family to ensure his safety.”
Mr. Martin shook my hand, but not before giving my attire a once-over, a slight leer crossing his face. Why had I dressed like this again? “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Bradford. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here at the Canterbury. Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to call me.” He reached inside the breast pocket of his jacket and handed me a card, taking the opportunity to graze his fingers across the top of my hand.
I wanted to shiver in disgust, but I realized this was an opportunity to inquire about the doorman. “Well, there is one thing you could help me with. What is Simon’s last name, just for reference?” The way the doorman had looked at me when I’d arrived earlier and the way in which he interacted with Cassia had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end again. And I’d learned early on not to ignore my intuition, because it had saved my life and the life of others many times over.
“Simon Peterson. Is there anything else I can do for you today?”
I shook my head and turned on my heels, speaking over my shoulder as I headed toward the elevator. “Thanks, Mr. Martin. You’ve been most helpful today.”
As soon as the elevator had delivered me back upstairs, I was surprised to see the door of the penthouse open and Kyle missing from his post. I rushed down the hall and into the penthouse, about to reach for my gun, when I discovered Kyle and Marcus slowly lowering a large box to the ground next to my duffle.
“What’s this?” I asked.
Marcus spoke up. “You got a delivery from Rick at Titan Security.”
I guess in all the theatrics downstairs, I’d missed the deliveryman getting on the elevator. I couldn’t wait to see what Rick sent me to work with.
Kyle stood up and extended his hand to mine. “Thank you for ridding us of that dreadful woman. She’s been here four to five times a week, always causing chaos and problems. I was about ready to place her over my knee and spank the crap out of her backside for talking in such a demeaning manor to Marcus, Spencer, and myself. I hope you’ve banned her from the building.” His eyes beamed with enthusiasm at the idea. Although, I wasn’t sure if it was from the idea of smacking Cassia’s backside or having her permanently removed from the building.
I shook my head, laughing. I wouldn’t have pegged Kyle for a Dominant since he’s too eager to please, but we all have our little secrets. “She’s banned. I didn’t mean to take so long downstairs, but I spoke to the manager and reiterated Marcus’s request to have her indefinitely banned from the building unless an appointment is made by either of us.”
Spencer shouted “Hallelujah” from the hallway, while Kyle fist pumped the air, along with Marcus.
I held my hands out and motioned for them to calm down, as something quickly caught my eye. I knew there was a reason I hadn’t taken my sunglasses off just yet. There was something highlighted by one of the picture frames near the table where Cassia had dropped her purse. I walked over and picked up a small item that looked like a trinket, but you could easily see a small video feed planted inside.
As I turned, I took note of the pen lying next to the papers Cassia had insisted Marcus sign. It was casting out a vibrant-pink electronic signature. I picked it up and took it apart to reveal a small bug inside. I held my finger to my lips and walked over to the scrambling device still out on the dining table.
I waited until the device was on to finally speak. “Cassia just crawled to the top of the list of potential people ready to throw you under the bus for crimes you state you didn’t commit.” I held the two suspicious items up for them to view. “These two bugs were just dropped here during her tirade.”
“You can’t just assume Cassia is guilty. I mean, she’s always been a bit of a shrew, I don’t deny that, but she’s been trying to help me clear myself. Her dad and she have been giving me access to the files at work so I can try and weed through things to figure stuff out.” Marcus tried arguing. “Someone could’ve given her these things, and one might have dropped out of her purse, while the other she didn’t even know was bugged. Hell, she might be the one that someone’s eavesdropping in on. We don’t have solid proof yet.”
I handed the items over to Kyle, noting they were the same make and model of some of the bugs formerly taking residence in Marcus’s home. “Please dispose of these appropriately.”
He nodded. “Sure thing. I’ll be outside while you two finish talking. Just let us know when you’re ready to go over everything we have to date.”
“Thanks, Kyle and Spencer.”
I didn’t speak until they left the room, waiting until the door closed behind them before turning off the scrambler and rounding on Marcus. “You’re defending the hoity-toity bitch? What the hell?”
He took off his suit jacket and slung it on the back of one of the chairs, and then undid his cuffs and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing his strong, muscular forearms. The shirt caressed his body, like a second skin leaving nothing to the imagination. Was that his intention?
Marcus held up his hands in a symbol of surrender. “I’m not defending her. I actually agree with Kyle and Spencer. She’s been a thorn in my side, pressuring me to sign papers I’m not willing to sign. Papers that basically force me to be at her beck and call until I can prove my innocence. I don’t want to be her damn lapdog. That’s why I kept refusing to sign, sending the paperwork back to her lawyer to be revised.”
He took in a deep breath and let it out, shaking his head in frustration. “Hell, this stuff only happened a week ago. I wasn’t about to give her control over me without having some way to try and prove my innocence.
“And while I don’t think she’s pure of heart. I can’t see her being smart enough to come up with a scheme this big just to try and win me over. She’s needy and downright calculating. But I don’t think Cassia’s capable of doing this on her own. If you’re going to instantly cast her as responsible, then you might as well pack up and go home, because I see that you’ll do me no justice if you’re operating under the assumption I’m guilty too.”
I watched as he walked into the dining area, pulled out a seat, and sat down. I didn’t want to admit it, but I did. “You’re right. The red flags she raised today are all circumstantial and won’t hold up in a court of law. I need to go through this case with a fine-tooth comb, and”—I took the seat across from him—“for the record, I don’t think you’re at fault for this Ponzi scheme.”
Marcus started to open his mouth to argue, but I pulled my glasses down far enough for him to see in my eyes that I didn’t want any interruptions. “I’d like to believe you’re still the honest man I knew you to be. You were a hard
worker back then, and I believe you to be that now. I know we have a lot that has happened between us, and yes, there’s still some animosity, but if we have any hope of proving you innocent, then I need your full cooperation and honesty, even if you don’t like me or trust me anymore.” There, I said it. It wasn’t the full scope of what we needed to talk about, but hopefully enough where we could work with one another.
I started to push my glasses back onto my face.
“You don’t need to hide behind those shades. I’d prefer being able to see those two sparkling blue sapphires of yours.”
“Stop!” I watched in horror as Marcus started to pull out his phone and turn on his computer.
He pulled back with a fright, letting the phone drop a few inches onto the table. “Fine. I pay you a compliment and you repay me by yelling. Geez. Put your damn glasses back on if they’re so important to you.”
Shaking my head, I reached over and put my hand on his. “No, it’s not that. It’s your computer and phone. They may be compromised.”
Marcus’s other hand quickly landed on top of mine, trapping me there. I tried to pull back. The intense heat surrounding it was radiating up my arm. I thought I’d done away with these feelings, thought I could hide behind the sunglasses, but leave it to him to point out the obvious. “I feel it, too, Kenna.”
Looking puzzled, I merely asked, “What?”
He leaned forward as he drew my hand up toward his mouth to place a gentle kiss on each one of my fingertips. “The palpable current of electricity that exists between us. You must feel the same heat and sensation travelling up your arm and into your soul. The whole room feels oppressive with intense desire. Don’t fight it, love. I can see your eyes transforming from glacial pools of ice to thawed, heated waters of the Caribbean—waters I’ve waited too long to explore.”
Makenna's Trust: Titan Security Series #3 Page 4